Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-12-06
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Assistant fOStmaSter-0eHcfal
that the receipts of the department
were Ill per cent greater than the
previous year, while the increase OF
expenditure was at ratio OF but GA
per cent. The total excess of cost OF
the postal service over the revenue
was s5,4S2,670. 1t will not be long,
probably, before the postal service
will be at least self-supporting, and
possibly q source Of actual revenue
to the Government, although this can
be prevented by reducing rates OF
postage. 1t may sound ridiculous to
talk about preventing a branch OF
the public service from becoming a
source of profit, but it is necessary to
prevent it until our present surplus
has been satisfactorily disposed OF.
The officer making this report &C.
companies it with certain recommen-
dations, among which is one that the
postage on all second-class matter
shall be paid by the attachment OF
adhesive stamps, like other mail mat
ter. Second class matter means, in
general terms, newspapers and
periodicals. Under the present law
they may be enclosed IN unstamped
wrappers, the postage being paid by
the publishers by weight; that is, the
papers are weighed by the postofice,
and the postage paid in gross by the
publishers. 1t is now proposed to
require postage stamp to be affixed
to every separate paper before mail
ing, change which will not commend
itself to any one who has studied the
question outside of the Postoffice De-
partment.
. In the first place there is no reason
for such change. The people have
not demanded it and do not want it.
They are satisfied that the newspaper
and magazine publishers do not de-
fraud the Government, as, indeed, i,
is not easy to see how they could, a.
the Government officers weigh the
newspapers. The publishers Of the
newspapers, and especially of thu
dailies with large circulation, Ger
tainly do not want such change
1t is hard enough work even now t.
get the papers out in time for mail
ing, and if every separate paper ha'
to be stamped, or even inclosed in
, stamped wrapper, we fear that man.
of the country subscribers to the dali
, newspapers in the cities would hav
. to wait an extra day for their paper
If the Government were in urgen
need of money, and were attemptin
to make profit out of carrying tn
mails, it might be we'll enough to in
. sist on such change for fear that a
3 occasional newspaper under the pres
. ent system escapes the payment
toll; but as such is not the case it
surely not worth while to insist upo
o the adoption of a regulation whic
can only vex and 'annoy publishes
. and readers, without any useful pu
20 pose to be subserved.
% Another recommendation has thol
d to commend it. That is, that on
'e legitimate newspapers and periodical
; be admitted to the second class.
u is claimed that there are certain kin,
u of publications, which are not new
papers in any sense, which get Sc
nc ond class rates because they are
10 sued, or purport to be issued, at re
NO ular periods. This recommendatio
should, we think, be adopted. The
are certain advertising catalogue
~ and price lists, and prospectuses, al
things of that sort, which come o
once month, or once in three month
and get the benefit of second ella
'r- rates when they are clearly not e
p titled to them. They should be p
ng where they belong among thir
ia! class matter-and the second ella
rate should be limited to newspape
b. and periodicals. The cheap secon
-. class rate was devised for the dissel
:, inatiou of news and literary matter
general interest, not to permit sol
firm to advertise itself all over t
country, and should be confined
its legitimate objects.-[San Fra
IA, cisco Chronicle.
'a' THERE promises to be lively co